By Zephyria 
“If it’s too big and feels burdensome, I don’t mind being the one to drive it in. Actually, that might be better? It would be definitive proof that you’re erect and aroused for me, right? Wow, the more I think about it, the better it is. Hyung, do you want to fuck me?”
“…….”
“I’ve never been fucked before, so I don’t know, but my ass is probably tight—”
“Let’s be quiet since there’s a minor listening. Okay?”
“The youngest—I mean, the youngest Lee Sarang is twenty-one, so there are no minors here.”
Tae-un’s gaze swept over the hunters ahead of them.
“Anyone younger than Lee Sarang, raise your hand.”
His kind voice echoed through the crowd, implying that if such a person existed, he would promptly kill them and make it as if they had never existed. When no one raised their hand, Tae-un turned back to Kim Si-baek triumphantly, only to come face-to-face with the sole minor present.
The person—or rather, the creature—held in Kim Si-baek’s hand was Biyendwe.
“Minor here.”
“……Aren’t you incredibly old?”
“Mentally, I am a minor.”
Usually, Biyendwe would throw a tantrum like a child wanting to be an adult whenever Kim Si-baek treated him like one, but this time was different. Since listening to Tae-un’s sex talk was equally agonizing, he worked hard to mimic Tae-un—that is, he acted as young and cute as possible.
[Death and Beauty puts every ounce of effort into making their eyes sparkle with a teary, pleading look.]
Even so, since the base form was a hideous crow, there wasn’t much of a difference, but it was enough to shut Tae-un up. The raid team barely escaped the auditory sexual harassment and were able to focus on hunting tentacles and searching the area—while thinking that the man was not normal for insisting a pet bird was a minor.
However, Kim Si-baek could not focus at all.
‘……I’m going crazy.’
Now that Tae-un had shut his mouth and the surroundings were quiet, the aftermath of his words floated around even more vividly. The kid said it had been a long time since he last had sex, so maybe he was making such dog—no, inappropriate remarks because his desires had piled up. No, there are more important things right now, so let’s not think about it.
His mind was cluttered and he was deeply distressed in many ways, but he didn’t have the luxury to care. To concentrate, Kim Si-baek gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
If we don’t hunt the giant vine within the time limit, the Earth will be destroyed. If we don’t hunt the giant vine within the time limit, the Earth will be destroyed. If we don’t hunt the giant vine within the time limit, the Earth will be destroyed. I should have sex with Hyung. If we have sex with Hyung within the time limit…… Ah, seriously. Dammit.
Kim Si-baek stepped on a tentacle that had surged up unexpectedly from a pot in the hallway, pulled it, and irritably tore the flower apart.
In front of the emergency stairs leading up to the first basement level, Seo Gae-un unfolded the floor plan of the magic stone exchange. On the second basement level, they had found neither survivors nor corpses.
“Unlike the second basement level, which was open because it was entirely a parking lot, the first basement level is largely divided into the parking lot, the cafeteria, and the information management room. I will divide the raid team into two.”
Seo Gae-un split them into the 7777 Guild and the Gabyeolcho and Jeongmyeong Guilds. This would cause the firepower to lean heavily toward the 7777 Guild, as it would have three S-classes, but she solved it simply.
“The Guild Master will go with the Seven Guild to respond in all directions while searching the parking lot, and Eun-sa will join the Gabyeolcho and Jeongmyeong Guilds.”
“What?”
Tae-un raised an eyebrow at the mention of being separated from Kim Si-baek, but Seo Gae-un had a valid reason.
“Didn’t the Guild Master entrust the command to me, saying he was useless in the field?”
“…….”
“As the Guild Master knows, our guild’s motto is ‘Do not listen to those weaker than yourself.’ Since the Guild Master is the one who insisted he is weaker than me, feel free to challenge me if you’re dissatisfied. Then I will acknowledge that you are useful in the field.”
For the record, Tae-un was the one who set the motto.
Tae-un, caught in his own trap, glared fiercely at Seo Gae-un and gestured with his chin toward Yang Eun-ho.
“You, join that side.”
“Hmm? Aren’t the two guilds already sufficient in long-range dealers?”
“What bullshit are you talking about. Make a list of every single bastard who hits on Si-baek Hyung, without missing a single—” Mmph.
“Haha, no. Manager, please help Un.”
Kim Si-baek smoothed over the situation by blocking Tae-un’s mouth with Biyendwe’s backside. Tae-un, who had just received a deep kiss on the crow’s rump, grimaced intensely, but fortunately, that menacing expression was hidden by the tail feathers.
[Death and Beauty endures for the sake of mental health and the peace of the ears.]
Thus, the raid team was temporarily liberated from the threat of when Tae-un’s vulgar flirting might resume.
Separated from Kim Si-baek, Tae-un behaved exactly as Seo Gae-un expected. He rubbed the back of his neck a few times as if annoyed and stepped forward.
“Search everything within 30 minutes.”
Even while hideous sounds—as if the building was being demolished—echoed from the direction of the parking lot, the Gabyeolcho and Jeongmyeong Guilds diligently searched for survivors.
“Shall we go to the kitchen next?”
At Hwang Suho’s suggestion, Lee Sarang nodded, visibly tense. In the dark basement where the wiring was destroyed, they floated a small light source using a magical tool. The interior of the kitchen, illuminated by the light, was silent. Which made it even more suspicious.
[Remaining Time: 8 hours 47 minutes]
Behind the raid team as they prepared to enter, Kim Si-baek gauged the time. More time was being consumed than expected because they were searching for survivors while conserving divine power, but it was still a decent pace.
‘Still, since the system is giving quests linked to the current situation, I wish it would add other conditions.’
Preferably ones that would help in searching for survivors.
Then again, it felt like asking too much from a system that had irresponsibly thrown out the news that the Earth would be destroyed without any clues.
“Then, I’ll open the door……”
Lee Sarang, whose tension had spiked again after being separated from Tae-un, let out a shout in a trembling voice. To protect the raid team from the giant vine’s tentacles, which absorbed anything in their path—be it magical beast or human—her role was more important than anything.
Crash!
Lee Sarang, who had mutated her skin into a metallic material, smashed through the kitchen door as if ramming it with her body. Crash! Crack! Simultaneously, the kitchen windows shattered and the walls split as the giant vine’s tentacles burst through, wildly throwing and swinging kitchen utensils.
The giant vine had sprouted in the afternoon, and the kitchen had been in the middle of preparing dinner. Which meant……
“Oh my god! Was tonight’s dinner seaweed soup?!”
“Ack! My eyes! Fuck, chili powder!”
“I just got slapped in the face with kimchi by a tentacle!”
“I’m allergic to dried pollack!”
The dinner menus, which should have been affordable and nutritionally balanced daily meals, unfolded in a chaotic display.
[Death and Beauty defines this as a total shitshow.]
“The food is innocent, but……”
Kim Si-baek, dodging the seaweed stems that had not only swollen but were overflowing, first checked if the gas had been shut off. The magical tools that shut off gas and other explosion hazards upon the sprouting of a magical beast were working without a problem. Only then did he feel relieved and begin removing the tentacles.
Thus, after a desperate struggle of being covered in kimchi soup and slipping on seaweed, the hunters managed to drive the giant vine out of the kitchen.
“I smell like food waste……”
“Since you said waste, I feel like I’ve become waste too!”
Among the hunters who were worn out in various senses, Lee Sarang panted and glanced back.
‘I thought the rear would be somewhat exposed since Uncle Tae-un wasn’t here……’
Contrary to her anxiety, the rear was perfectly covered, just as it had been when Tae-un was present. Thanks to that, the hunters could focus solely on the tentacles in front of them.
‘Is he a magic swordsman? I heard that using magic and weapons simultaneously is terribly inefficient, but I guess S-classes are different.’
Just as she was thinking that she wanted to properly observe how he handled his sword next time she got the chance, Kim Si-baek happened to pass by her.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to check if there are survivors further inside. Please rest.”
“No. I’m the leader of this team, so I have to go too!”
Clenching her trembling hands, Lee Sarang stood up. It was a fairly courageous act, but Kim Si-baek wondered if he should tell her that a piece of dried radish was stuck in her hair.
Even as they headed toward the dining area connected to the kitchen, there was no certainty that survivors would be there. The giant vine greedily devoured people to consume nutrients. Lee Sarang swallowed hard, anxious that they might find the gruesome remains of those who had been partially absorbed.
It was when the two of them passed in front of the ruined nutrition office. A system window flickered before Kim Si-baek’s eyes, and a new sentence was displayed.